Tokyo is one of the most memorable travel destinations that I’ve traveled to.

Not only is it one of the World’s most iconic cities (a place every aspiring World Traveler should have on their bucketlist), I also enjoyed my first trip to Tokyo with my parents and relatives. It’s not often that I get to travel abroad with family, so it was a really fantastic experience for me.

As we only had a few days in Tokyo, it was important to prioritize places that we wanted to visit. Tokyo is a massive city with lots of interesting districts, each with its distinct vibe and attractions.

Since it was my first time to visit Tokyo, I wanted to enjoy sightseeing around the metro’s top tourist spots. Thankfully, we (my brother, cousins & I) had an easy time agreeing on where to go.

Traveling to Tokyo for the first time? Scroll down to get started on planning your trip. I’ve included a sample itinerary, places to visit/things to do, list of expenses/budget breakdown and extra travel tips.

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Tokyo Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo in 3 days? Here’s a 3 days & 2 nights (3D2N) itinerary for your do-it-yourself (DIY) trip. It’s suited for first-time visitors who visit top attractions in Tokyo including Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea, Shibuya, Tokyo Skytree, experience cultural sites and enjoy a bit of shopping.

Feel free to tweak the activities & timings below based on your traveling style, schedule & attractions that interest you the most.

Day 1: Asakusa & Tokyo Skytree

Time Activity

Flight or train to Tokyo

Arrive at Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND)

Claim tours, passes & tickets booked online.

Tokyo airport to Tokyo city center/hotel train

Cheapest rates

Tokyo hotel check-in

Cheapest ratesBest reviews

Explore Asakusa district

Tokyo Skytree

Sensō-ji temple

Day 2: Tokyo Highlights

Time Activity

Explore Harajuku district – food & shopping

Meiji Jingu

Takeshita Street

Explore Shibuya district

Hachiko Memorial

Shibuya Crossing

Explore Shinjuku district – shopping & nightlife

Day 3: Tokyo Disneyland

Time Activity

Tokyo Disneyland and/or Tokyo DisneySea

Train to Narita/Haneda airport or onward destination in Japan.

Tokyo Budget

Your travel expenses will largely depend on your traveling style and how much you plan to spend on activities, accommodations & food. To help you set your own budget, here are budget estimates if you follow the 3 days and 2 nights (3D2N) itinerary posted above. Make sure to review all discounts & online booking prices.

Transport expenses breakdown
JPY 2,100 Narita Airport to Tokyo city center train — Per person one-way fare online.Book here
JPY 2,199 SUICA IC Card — Per card price online. Pre-loaded with an initial JPY 1,500 credit. Use this card to pay for trains not covered by the Tokyo Subway Pass. For example, the train to Tokyo Disneyland and Narita/Haneda Airports.Book here
JPY 1,480 Tokyo Subway Pass — Per person. Includes 72 hours unlimited rides on Tokyo subway/metro lines. Discount price online, per person.Book discount here
Activities/attraction costs breakdown
JPY 7,400 Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea — Per person price online. Includes 1-day admission ticket/entrance fee.Book discount here
JPY 3,090 Tokyo Skytree — Per person price online. Must book this early. Includes admission ticket/entrance fee to Tembo Deck and Tembo Galleria.Book discount here
Budget Trip – Backpacker expenses
JPY 5,779 Transport — Includes transport fares and passes listed above.
JPY 5,000 Accommodations — JPY 2,500 per night in a budget hostel x 2 nights
JPY 7,500 Food — JPY 2,500 per day inexpensive meals budget x 3 days.
JPY 18,279 Sub-total — Excluding attractions/activities & flights. Including accommodations, food & transport. Approximately PHP 8,732 / USD 165 / SGD 226. Or, a daily budget of JPY 6,093 / PHP 2,911 / USD 55 / SGD 75.
JPY 10,490 Activities — Admission tickets/entrance fees on selected activities above.
JPY 28,769 Total — Including activities & expenses above. Approximately PHP 13,744 / USD 259 / SGD 356. Or, a daily budget of JPY 9,590 / PHP 4,581 / USD 86 / SGD 119.

I’ve included backpacker budget estimates for food & accommodations to give you an idea of how cheaply you can do the trip. If you have money to splurge on hotels, food, and luxuries, simply use the expenses posted to calculate your own budget.

Other expenses
JPY 1,067 Japan local SIM card — 1GB data for 6 daysBook discount here
JPY 500 Japan pocket WIFI hotspot — Per day device rental.Book discount here
Japan travel insuranceBook online

Tokyo Itineraries & Travel Blogs

More travel tips coming once the detailed Tokyo travel guide is out. In the meantime, feel free to check out my Pinterest board and list of helpful Tokyo travel blogs below for inspiration.

https://www.pinterest.ph/detourista/tokyo-travel-guide-blog/
https://www.pinterest.ph/detourista/japan-travel-guide-blog/

Follow updates on Pinterest@detourista.

1 Day Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 1 day (24 hours or less).

Visit Japan Beginner’s Guide | How to Spend a DAY in TOKYO – Tokyo Zebra

2 Days Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 2 days (48 hours or less).

Visit 2-Day Tokyo Highlights Itinerary – Travel Caffeine
Visit Tokyo Itinerary: What to Do in Tokyo in 2 Days – Migrating Miss
Visit The Perfect 2 Day Itinerary for Tokyo Japan – Travel Pockets

3 Days Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 3 days.

Visit The perfect 3-day itinerary for tokyo (updated 2018 travel guide) – iWandered
Visit Our 3-day Tokyo Trip: Guide, Itinerary & Tips for Filipinos – TripZilla.ph
Visit 3 Days in Tokyo: The Perfect Itinerary for First Time Visitors – The Travel Sisters

4 Days Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 4 days.

Visit How to Spend 4 Days in Tokyo- Our Itinerary – Travel Yes Please
Visit A Tokyo itinerary for first timers – Suit Case And Wanderlust
Visit The Best of Tokyo in 4 Days with a Full Itinerary of All the Must-see Locations – Once In A Lifetime Journey

5 Days Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 5 days.

Visit What To Do In Tokyo – A 5 Day Tokyo Itinerary – Nerd Nomads

6 Days Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 6 days.

Visit Tokyo Itineraries (with Budget) – The Pinay Solo Backpacker
Visit 6 days in Tokyo – What to do, where to go, itineraries, and more – Triple Lights
Visit 6 days in Tokyo itinerary for first-timers – The Invisible Tourist

1 Week Itinerary

What to do in Tokyo, Japan in 1 week (7 days or more).

Visit Tokyo Itinerary 7 Days – Asia Travel Bug
Visit Tokyo, Japan: 5-9 Days Itineraries – Miss Happy Feet
Visit 7 Day Tokyo Itinerary – You Could Travel
https://www.pinterest.com/detourista/best-of-detourista/

Don’t Stop Here

Did you find this travel guide helpful? Share your Tokyo experience & tag #detourista. Follow trip updates on: Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.

Check out these pages for more travel inspiration beyond Tokyo: